Featured Recipe

Japonica Jelly

“This is a very uncommon preserve, as it is not generally known that the fruit of pyrus Japonica (the Japanese quince) makes delicious jelly.”

Wash the fruit, cut into quarters without peeling or coring, cover with water and boil until soft, but not squashed. Strain through jelly-bag, add 1 lb. sugar to each pint of juice and boil till it jells when tested. It is a bright red color when done.

Source: Cabotia, TAS. The Australian Woman’s Mirror, Vol.3, no.36, (2nd August 1927) (via Trove)

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Japonica Jelly

“Japonica jelly is similar to quince jelly in flavour.”

    * 3 lb/1.5 kg japonica fruit  * 4 tablespoons lemon juice

    * 6 pints/3 litres water  * sugar

Wash the fruit but do not peel or core. Cut them into pieces and put into a pan with the lemon juice and water. Simmer for about an hour until the fruit is soft. Strain through a jelly bag and measure the juice. Allow 1 lb/450 g sugar to each pint/500 ml juice. Heat the juice gently, stirring in the sugar until dissolved. Boil hard to setting point. Pour into small hot jars and cover. This tastes particularly delicious with milk puddings.

Source: Mary Norwak (1929-). The Complete Book of Home Preserving. London, Ward Lock, 1978. CKBK,

https://app.ckbk.com/recipe/thec56953c07s001ss008r017/japonica-jam

—From “Unusual Fruit: Rosehips & Japonica”, What We Ate,

https://whatweateaustralia-nz.blogspot.com/2023/08/unusual-fruit-rosehips-japonica.html